Rep. Petersen’s Report from the Capitol: Special Session Continues - A Call for Compromise; Working for Lower Gas Prices
May 2, 2011
The special session is heading in to its third week, and the House and Senate Finance Committees are still at an impasse over the capital budget. The main point of contention is language the Senate has proposed linking millions of dollars worth of energy projects together in order to prevent the governor from vetoing some of those projects.
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Note from Rep. Gara: The Unspecial Session: A Solution Requires A Radical Political Concept - Talking Without Lines In The Sand. And An Engaged Governor.
May 2, 2011
I’ve done my best these past two weeks to share what I learned as an attorney who started my career on a very contentious case – representing the State in its civil prosecution of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill case. Sticking your heels in the mud and drawing lines in the sand doesn’t end disputes – this one’s over the budget. We settled the state’s case with Exxon for $1 billion in 1991 – though the major damages were suffered by individuals who brought their own cases – and by not talking Exxon used its obstinance and power to drag that case out for two decades.
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Rep. Guttenberg’s Legislative Report: Session Ends with Never-Exercised Constitutional Provision
April 23, 2011
Sunday night around 10:40pm the Legislature was adjourned by Governor Parnell. This constitutional provision has never been exercised before. The Alaska State Constitution states:
Article 2 Section 10- Adjournment.
“Neither house may adjourn or recess for longer than three days unless the other concurs. If the two houses cannot agree on the time of adjournment and either house certifies the disagreement to the governor, he may adjourn the legislature.”
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Rep. Kerttula’s Juneau Newsletter: Special Session Status Report
April 22, 2011
After it became apparent that the Legislature wasn’t going to be able to finish everything and gavel out in time for the 90-day session, the House asked the governor to adjourn the Legislature. Although the Constitution has always allowed the governor to do this if the two bodies cannot agree upon adjournment, it’s the first time it’s ever happened.
When the governor adjourned the Legislature, he also called us back into special session to address specific issues. In this newsletter, I’ll run down the issues included in the call for special session and their status. Things are moving fast right now, so by the time you read this something will probably have changed.
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Berta’s Briefings from Rep. Gardner: What the Heck Happened?
April 19, 2011
Shortly before the start of floor session on the 90th day, House Majority leadership notified the Democratic caucus that it was their intention to pass a resolution asking the Governor to adjourn the legislature and call us into special session immediately. A special session was needed because the legislature had not completed the statutory mandate of passing the operating budget.
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